Advice from career experts

Q: I'm looking for a job without success. Why am I failing? I must be doing something wrong. Can you help? — A Popular Question

A: Today I pass along advice from three of the nation's foremost career experts: Tony Beshara, Susan P. Joyce and Susan Whitcomb.

Author of “The Job Search Solution” and a contingency recruiter who's personally found jobs for more than 8,500 people, Beshara focuses on results, not theory. Cutting to the chase, Beshara sums up why job seekers don't connect with jobs:

“People have trouble finding a job for three major reasons: They don't know what to do! They don't know how to do it! They don't do enough of it! A recent survey found that 86 percent of a group of 15,000 job seekers resorted to only two fruitless activities to find a job — (1) calling a few friends and (2) sending résumés to Internet job postings.”

On a related topic, Beshara reveals some of the biggest résumé mistakes, including these two:

•“Job seekers overestimate the qualifications of the people who will screen, read and/or pass their résumés along. If you think the 'right' people are reading your résumé, you are wrong.”

•“Job seekers write the wrong content on their résumés. They write what they understand about themselves, but forget to explain in clear language what their employer does and what they do for their employer. If your résumé can't be understood by a high school senior who doesn't know you, you are writing the wrong content.”

The editor and publisher of two popular job resources, Job-Hunt.org and WorkCoachCafe.com, Joyce offers creative and specific tips to turn you into a Google search star in rounding up facts for job interviews. Google operates with rigid ground rules that you must follow to get the best return on your time investment.

Note the precise terms, quotation marks, capital letters, parentheses and asterisks. Tip: You must insert a space before the asterisk and the associated word.

The upside to mastering Google's strict requirements, Joyce explains, is that you'll instantly get back key information you can use to come across as smart and informed. Here's a tiny sample of effective search queries:

•“employer name” officers

•“employer name” “expanding in *”

•“employer name” (announced OR introduced)

•“employer name” “new * announced”

•“employer name” “opening *”

•“employer name” (awarded OR won)

•“employer name” “quarterly financial results”

•“employer name” “acquiring *”

•“employer name” “competitor”

Joyce explains that the data provided by the last query brings back interview ammo with benefits. By identifying the target company's competition, you can talk about the superiority of the target's products and services to those of competitors.

What if the target opportunity doesn't work out? Joyce observes that you'll have a head start on researching competitors where you might apply next.

Author of “Résumé Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Résumé Writer” and president of the Career Coach Academy (theacademies.com), Whitcomb reports an intriguing idea about how to use cover letters.

Whitcomb credits a recruiter panelist at a recent career conference for the suggestion that job seekers send a résumé alone and transmit its cover letter later via another website:

“Make it a two-step process. Step 1: Submit your résumé through the employer's ATS (applicant tracking system). Step 2: Follow up on social networking site LinkedIn (linkedin.com). Find the job's recruiter and send a 'cover letter' that essentially says, 'Hello. I applied via the website for XYZ position and want to reiterate my strong interest. If there's also an interest on your part, I'll look forward to talking soon.' ”

The panelist explained that “If there are 250 applicants for the job and one of the people can find me on LinkedIn, it's a way to get to the front of the list.”

Email career questions for possible use in this column to Joyce Lain Kennedy at jlk@sunfeatures.com; use “Reader Question” for subject line. Or mail her at Box 368, Cardiff, CA 92007.

CDL A DELIVERY DRIVERS Home Every Night! Needed for our Worcester Depot! Drive local - No more spending valuable nights away from your family! As a Direct Store Delivery Representative YOU have the opportunity to make a difference with our customers! Provide excellent customer service; interact in a positive manner with our customers; deliver our products to local stores. Be home every night! Work for a Company that has been around for over 80 years! Minimum of 3 months driving experience with CDL A/B; GED or HS diploma required; Must be able to drive a standard transmission. EEO/Veteran/Disability Growing Strong Since1933!